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Agnes Baltsa as Carmen in Zürich

Zurich
Opernhaus Zürich
11/11/2000 -  
Georges Bizet: Carmen
Agnes Baltsa (Carmen), Francisco Araiza(Don José) , Elena Mosuc (Micaëla), Cheyne Davidson (Escamillo), Eun-Yee You (Frasquita), Irène Friedli (Mercedes), Jozsef Dene (Zuniga), Peter Keller (Remendado), Martin Zysset (Dancaïro), Valeriy Murga (Moralès)
Chor des Opernhauses Zürich, Zusatzchor Opernhaus Zürich, Kinderchor des Opernhauses, Orchester der Oper Zürich, Ralf Weikert (Conductor)
Jean-Pierre Ponnelle (director)

From her debut in 1982 in Zurigo as Carmen, Agnes Baltsa still singing in a splendid way this role. It is the only role that is hold in career more than fifteen years, but seems to never get tired interpreting it every time as it would be the first. Baltsa is famous all over the world for her deeply eccentric, egoist Carmen that doesn't have fear of anything. Saturday evening the audience was quiver with listen to the true Carmen, that from many years overcomes all the other. Her beautiful and clear voice was fantastic especially in Seguedille, where the high A diesis could not be better. Delicious also "Là-bas, là-bas dans la montagne" with her wonderful timbre. Very expressive the duetto with José "Je vais danser" culminating in "C'est toi"/"C' est moi". But unfortunately Araiza was very tired cause the wagnerian performances of last month, so he couldn't do his best: the high notes were all small and unsteady and his voice was often grayish and vibrated. He should keep singing Rossini, without mining his voice with Wagner. But his acting was very good like his relation with Baltsa. Mosuc was rather good, in the aria and in the duetto with José, although she doesn't have a very beautiful timbre and a very expressive acting. Bass Davidson didn't have a great voice, but he could anyway support decently his role, expecially in "Votre toast... je peux vous le rendre". The other singers and the chorus were discreet. This Ponnelle's production is famous, but not so exciting like others Ponnelle's works as it lacks of color and of life. Very good the orchestra instead, conducted by the good Weikert. At the end of the performance on the stage was celebrated Ralf Weikert's 60th birthday with wine and flowers. The singers sang "Happy birthday to you".


Riccardo Rocca

 

 

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